List of Yiddish Words and Expressions
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AB C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A

A bisel - A little

A biseleh - A very little

A breyre hob ich - I have no alternative

A breyte deye hob'n - To do all the talking (To have the
greatest say or authority)

A broch! - Oh hell! Damn it!! A curse!!!

A broch tzu dir! - A curse on you!

A broch tzu Columbus - A curse on Columbus

A brocheh - A blessing

A chazer bleibt a chazer - A pig remains a pig

A chorbn - Oh, what a disaster (Oh S**T! an expletive)

A choleryeh ahf dir! - A plague on you! (Lit., wishing
someone to get Cholera.)

A deigeh hob ich - I don't care. I should worry.

A farshlepteh krenk - A chronic ailment

A feier zol im trefen - He should burn up! (Lit., A fire
should meet him.)

A finstere cholem auf dein kopf und auf dein hent und fiss
- (a horrible wish on someone) A dark dream (nightmare)
on your head, hands and feet!

A foiler tut in tsveyen - A lazy person has to do a task
twice

A gesheft hob nicht - I don't care

A gezunt ahf dein kop! - Good health to you (lit., Good
health on your head)

A glick ahf dir! - Good luck to you (Sometimes used
sarcastically about minor good fortunes) Big thing!

A glick hot dich getrofen! - Big deal! Sarcastic; lit., A
piece of luck happened to you.

A groyser tzuleyger - A big shot (sarcastically.)

A grubber yung - A coarse young man

A kappore - A catastrophe.

A khasuren die kalleh is tsu shayn - A fault that the bride
is too beautiful

A klog iz mir! - Woe is me!

A klog tzu meineh sonim! - A curse on my enemies!

A langer lucksh - A tall person (a long noodle)

A leben ahf dein kepele - A life on your head (A
grandparent might say to a grandchild meaning "you are
SO smart!")

A leben ahf dir! - You should live! And be well!

A lung un leber oyf der noz - Stop talking yourself into
illness! (Lit., Don't imagine a lung and a liver upon the
nose)

A maidel mit a vayndel - A pony-tailed nymphet.

A maidel mit a klaidel - A cutie-pie showing off her (new)
dress.

A mentsh on glik is a toyter mensh - An unlucky person is
a dead person.

A mentsh tracht und Gott lacht - A person plans and God
laughs.

A metsieh far a ganef - It's a steal (Lit., A bargain for a
thief.)

A nahr bleibt a nahr - A fool remains a fool

A nechtiker tog! - Forget it! (Lit., "A day that's a night.")

A nishtikeit! - A nobody!

A piste kayleh - A shallow person (an empty barrel)

A ritch in kop - Crazy (in the head.)

A schwartz yor - Bad luck. (LIT., A black year)

A schwartzen sof - A bad end.

A shandeh un a charpeh - A shame and a disgrace

A shittern mogn - Loose bowel movement

A shtik fleish mit tzvei eigen - A piece of meat with two
eyes (insult)

A shtik naches - A great joy

A shtyfer mogn - Constipated

A sof! A sof! - Let's end it ! End it!

A tuches un a halb - A person with a very large backside.
(Lit., A backside and a half.)

A volf farlirt zayne hor, ober nit zayn natur - A wolf loses
his hair but hot his nature. "A leopard cannot change his
spots.

Abi gezunt! - As long as you're healthy!

Achrahyes - Responsibility

Afn gonif brennt das hittel - "He thinks everyone knows
he committed a crime." (a thief's hat burns)

Ahf mir gezogt! - I wish it could be said about me!

Ahf tsores - In trouble

Ahf zu lochis - Spitefully (Lit: Just to get (someone)
angry.)

Ahntoisht - Disappointed

Ahzes ponim - Impudent fellow

Aidel - Cultured or finicky

Aidel gepotchket - Delicately brought up

Aidim - Son-in-law

Ainikle - Grandchild

Aitzeh - Advice

Aiver butelt - Absent minded; mixed up

Alaichem sholom - To you be peace. Used in response to
the the greeting Shalom aleichem.

Alef-bais - Alphabet; the first two letters of the Jewish
alphabet

Alevei! - It should happen to me (to you)!

Alle ziben glicken - Not what it's cracked up to be (all 7
lucky things)

Alles in einem is nisht do bei keine - All in one (person) is
to be found in no one.

Alrightnik - One who has succeeded

Alrightnikeh - Feminine form of "alrightnik."

Alteh moid - Spinster, old maid

Alter bocher - Bachelor

Alter bok - Old goat

Alter Kocker - An old man or old woman.

An alteh machashaifeh - An old witch

An alter bakahnter - An old acquaintance

An alter trombenick - An old bum

An emmisse meisse - An (absolutely) true tale

Apikoros - An unbeliever, a skeptic, an athiest

Arbit - Work

Arein - Come in!

Aroisgevorfen - Thrown out, wasted, (wasted
opportunities)

Aroisgevorfene gelt - Thrown out money (Wasted money)

Arumgeflickt! - Plucked! Milked!

Arumloifer - Street urchin; person who runs around

Aydem - Son-in-law

Ayn klaynigkeit - Ya, sure!! (very derogatory)

Az a yor ahf mir. - I should have such good luck.

Az di bobe volt gehat beytsim volt zi geven mayn zeyde! If my grandmother had testicles she would be my
grandfather.

Az mir vill schlugen a hunt, gifintmin a schtecken - If one
wants to beat a dog, one finds a stick.

Az och un vai! - Tough luck! Too bad! Misfortune!

Az tzvei zuggen shiker, leigst zich der driter shloffen - If
two people say you're drunk, the third one goes to sleep.
If two people confirm something, it's true.

Azoy? - Really?

Azoy gait es! - That's how it goes!

Azoy gich? - So soon?

Azoy vert dos kichel tzekrochen! - That's how the cookie
crumbles!
B

Babka - Coffee cake style pastry

Badchan - Jester, merry maker or master of ceremonies at
a wedding; at the end of the meal he announces the
presents, lifting them up and praising the giver and the gift
in a humorous manner

Bagroben - To bury

Baitsim - Testicles

Balebatim - Persons of high standing

Balbatish - Quiet, respectable, well mannered

Balebatisheh yiden - Respectable Jews, people of
substance and good standing in the community

Baleboosteh - Mistress of the house. A compliment to
someone who is a terrific housekeeper. "She is some
baleboosteh!"

Balegoola - Truckdriver or sloppy person of low standing.

Balmalocha - An expert (sometimes used sarcasticallyOy, is he an expert!)

Balnes - Miracle-worker

Bal Toyreh - Learned man, scholar

Balt- Sure

Bareden yenem - To gossip

Baren (taboo) - Fornicate: bother, annoy

Barimer - Braggart, show-off

Bashert - Fated or predestined

Bas-yekhide - A female only child

Bashert zein - To be destined

Batampte - Tasty , delicious

Batlan - Someone without a trade or a regular means of
livelihood

Baysn zikh di finger vos - Regret strongly that........

Becher - Wine goblet

Behaimeh - Animal, cow (when referring to a human
being, means dull-witted)

Bei mir hust du gepoylt - You've gotten your way with
me.

Ben-yokhid - A male only child

Benken - "To yearn for" or "to long for."

Benkshaft - Homesickness, nostalgia

Bentsh - To bless, to recite a blessing

Bentshen lecht - Recite prayer over lit candles on Sabbath
eve or Holy Day candles

Beryeh - Efficient, competent housewife

Bes medresh - Synagogue

Bialy - Named for the Polish city of Bialystock, the bialy
is of Jewish origin. A Bialy is a fairly large (about 6
inches) chewy round yeast roll. Somewhat similar to a
bagel, it has a depression rather than a hole in the centre,
and is sprinkled with chopped sauteed onion before
baking.

Bikur cholem - Visiting the sick

Billik - Cheap, inexpensive

Bist meshugeh? - Are you crazy?

Biteh - Please

Blondjen - To wander, be lost

Boarderkeh - A female boarder

Boch - A punch

Bohmer - Bum (masc.)

Bohmerkeh - Bum (fem.)

Boorvisser fiss - Barefoot

Boreke borsht - Beet borsht which the wealthy could
afford.

Borekes - Pastries with cheese inside

Borsht - Beet soup

Borsht circuit - Hotels in the Catskill Mountains of New
York State, with an almost entirely Jewish clientele, who
are fond of borsht; term is used by entertainers

Borviss - Barefoot

Botvenye borsht - Borsht made from beet leaves for the
poor.

Boychik - Young boy (term of endearment)

Boykhvehtig - Stomachache

Breeye - Creature, animal

Breire - choice

Bris - Circumcision

Bristen - Breasts

Broitgeber - Head of family (Lit., Bread giver)

Bronfen - Whiskey

Broygis - Not on speaking terms

B'suleh - Virgin

Bubbeh - Grandmother

Bubbe maisse - Grandmother's tale.

Bubbee - Friendly term for anybody you like

Bubeleh - Endearing term for anyone you like regardless
of age

Bulvan - Man built like an ox; boorish, coarse, rude
person

Bupkis - Nothing. Something totally worthless (Lit.,
Beans)

Butchke - chat, tete-a-tete, telling tales
C

Chai - Hebrew word for LIFE, comprised of the two
Hebrew letters, Chet and Yod. There is a sect of Jewish
mysticism that assigns a numeric value to each letter in
the Hebrew alphabet and is devoted to finding hidden
meanings in the numeric values of words. The letter
"Chet" has the numeric value of 8, and the letter "Yod",
has the value of 10, for a total of 18.

Chaider - Religious School

Chaim Yonkel - any Tom, Dick or Harry

Chaimyankel kooternooz - The perennial cuckold

Chaleria - Evil woman. Probably derived from cholera.

Chaleshen - Faint

Challa - Ceremonial "egg" bread. Either round or shaped
long. Used on Shabbat and most religious observances
with the exception of Pesach (Passover)

Chaloshes - Nausea, faintness, unconsciousness

Chamoole - Donkey, jackass, numbskull, fool

Chamoyer du ainer! - You blockhead! You dope, You ass!

Chanukah - Also known as the "Festival of Lights",
commemorates the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem.
Chanukah is celebrated for 8 days during which one
additional candle is added to the menorah on each night of
the holiday.

Chap a gang! - Beat it! (Lit., Catch a way, catch a road)

Chap ein a meesa meshina! - "May you suffer an ugly
fate!"

Chap nit! - Take it easy! Not so fast! (Lit., Don't grab)

Chaptsem - Catch him!

Chassene - Wedding

Chassene machen - To plan and execute a wedding.

Chas v'cholileh! - G-d forbid!

Chavver - Friend

Chaye - Animal

Chazen - Cantor

Chazenteh - Wife of chazen (cantor)

Chazzer - A pig (one who eats like a pig)

Chazzerei - Swill; pig's feed; anything bad, unpalatable,
rotten. In other words, "junk food." This word can also be
used to describe a lot of house hold or other kinds of junk.

Chazzershtal - Pigpen; slovenly kept room or house.

Chei kuck (taboo) - Nothing, infinitesimal, worthless,
unimportant (Lit., human dung)

Chev 'r' mann - Buddy

Chmalyeh! - Bang, punch; Slam! Wallop!

Chochem - A wise man (Slang: A wise guy)

Chochmeh - Wisdom, bright saying, witticism

Choleryeh - Cholera; a curse, plague

Choshever mentsh - Man of worth and dignity; elite
person; respected person

Chosid - Rabid fan

Chossen - Bridegroom

Chossen-kalleh - Bride and groom; engaged couple

Choyzik machen - Make fun of, ridicule

Chrain - Horseradish

Chropen - Snore

Chub Rachmones - "Have pity"

Chug - Activity group

Chupah - Canopy under which a bride and groom stand
during marriage ceremony.

Chutzpeh - Brazenness, gall, baitzim

Chutzpenik - Impudent fellow

Chvalye - Ocean wave

Columbus's medina - It's not what it's cracked up to be.
(Columbus's country.
D

Danken Got! - Thank G-d!

Darf min gehn in kolledj? - For this I went to college?
Usually said when describing a menial task.

Davenen - Pray

Deigeh nisht! - Don't worry!

Der mensch trakht un Gott lahkht - Man thinks (plans) and
God laughs

Der oyg - Eye

Der tate oysn oyg - Just like his father

Der universitet - University

Der zokn - Old man

Derech erets - Respect

Derlebn - To live to see (I should only live to see him get
married, already!)

Der oysdruk - Expression

Dershtikt zolstu veren! - You should choke on it!

Di khemye - Chemistry

Di skeyne - Old woman

Di Skeynes - Old women

Di skeynim - Old men

Die goldene medina - the golden country

Die untershte sheereh - the bottom line

Dine Essen teg - Yeshiva students would arrange to be fed
by various householders on a daily basis in different
houses. (Lit., Eat days)

Dingen - Bargain, hire, engage, lease, rent

Dis fayntin shneg - It's starting to snow

Dis fayntin zoraiganin - It's starting to rain

Dos gefelt mir - This pleases me

Dos hartz hot mir gezogt - My heart told me. I predicted
it.

Dos iz alts - That's all.

Dos zelbeh - The same

Drai mir nit kain kop! - Don't bother me! (Lit., Don't twist
my head)

Drai zich! - Keep moving!

Draikop - Scatterbrain

Dreidal - Spinning top used in a game that is associated
with the holiday of Chanukah.

Drek - Human dung, feces, manure or excrement; inferior
merchandise or work; insincere talk or excessive flattery

Drek auf dem teller - Mean spirited, valueless Lit.crap on
a plate.

Drek mit Leber - Absolutely nothing; it's not worth
anything.

Druchus - The sticks (way out in the wild)

Du fangst shoyn on? - Are you starting up again?

Du kannst nicht auf meinem rucken pishen unt mir sagen
class es regen ist. - You can't pee on my back and tell me
that it's rain!

Dumkop - Dumbbell, dunce (Lit., Dumb head)

Durkhfall - A flop or failure

Dybbuk - Soul condemned to wander for a time in this
world because of its sins. (To escape the perpetual
torments inflicted upon it by evil spirits, the dybbuk seeks
refuge in the body of some pious man or woman over
whom the demons have no power. The dybbuk is a
Cabalistic conception)
E

Ech - A groan, a disparaging exclamation

Ech mir (eppes) - Humorous, disparaging remark about
anything. e.g. "American Pie ech mir a movie?"

Efsher - Maybe, could be

Ei! Ei! - Yiddish exclamation equivalent to the English
"Oh!"

Eingeshpahrt - Stubborn

Eingetunken - Dipped, dunked

Einhoreh - The evil eye

Eizel - Fool, dope

Ek velt - End of the world

Emes - The truth

Emitzer - Someone

Enschultig meir - "Well excuuuuuuse ME!" (Can also bu
used in a non-sarcastic manner depending on the tone of
voice and situation.)

Entoisht - Disappointed

Eppes - Something

Er bolbet narishkeiten - He talks nonsense

Er drayt sich arum vie a fortz in russell - He wanders
around like a fart in a barrel (aimless)

Er est vi noch a krenk. - He eats as if he just recovered
from a sickness.

Er frest vi a ferd. - He eats like a horse.

Er hot a makeh. - He has nothing at all (Lit., He has a boil
or a minor hurt.)

Er hot nit zorg. - He hasn't got a worry.

Er iz a niderrechtiker kerl! - He's a low down good-fornothing.

Er iz shoyn du, der nudnik! - The nuisance is here already!

Er macht a tel fun dem. - He ruins it.

Er toig (taig) nit - He's no good, worthless

Er zitst oyf shpilkes. - He's restless. (Lit., He sits on pins
and needles.)

Er zol vaksen vi a tsibeleh, mit dem kop in drerd! - He
should grow like an onion, with his head in the ground!

Eretz Yisroel - Land of Israel

Es brent mir ahfen hartz. - I have a heartburn.

Es gait nit! - It doesn't work! It isn't running smoothly!

Es gefelt mir. - I like it. (Lit., It pleases, me.)

Es hot zich oysgelohzen a boydem! - Nothing came of it!
(Lit., There's nothing up there but a small attic.)

Es iz a shandeh far di kinder! - It's a shame for the
children!

Es iz (tsu) shpet. - It is (too) late.

Es ken gemolt zein. - It is conceivable. It is imaginable.

Es macht mir nit oys. - It doesn't matter to me.

Es iz nit dayn gesheft - It's none of your business.

Es past nit. - It is not becoming. It is not fitting.

Es tut mir a groisseh hanoeh! - It gives me great
pleasure!(often said sarcastically)

Es tut mir bahng. - I'm sorry. (Lit., It sorrows me)

Es tut mir vai - It hurts me.

Es vert mir finster in di oygen. - This is a response to
receiving extremely upsetting information or news. (Lit.,
It's getting dark in my eyes.)

Es vet gornit helfen! - Nothing will help!!

Es vet helfen vi a toiten bahnkes! - It won't help (any)!
(Lit., It will help like blood-cupping on a dead body.)

Ess vie ein foygl sheise vie ein feirt! - Eat like a bird, shit
like a horse!

Ess, bench, sei a mensch - Eat, pray, don't act like a jerk!

Ess gezunterhait - Eat in good health

Essen - To eat

Essen mitik - Eating midday or having dinner.
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